What Touring In Peru Has Taught Me About The Worth Of A Greenback

by jpc_touring-bicycle


Worldwide journey is reasonable!

I proved it in 2009  after I traveled by way of Europe on my bicycle for 9 months and got here residence from that journey with 70% more cash in my checking account than after I left.

And I’m proving it once more this yr, as I’ve been touring for the previous three months by way of the South American nation of Peru and dwelling off an quantity far lower than what it takes for me to sit down on my ass again residence and do completely nothing.

However guess what? I’m not simply sitting on my ass and doing nothing right here in Peru. In truth, I’m doing an entire lot of fantastic stuff… and it’s costing me a boatload lower than what it prices for me to easily exist again at residence in the US.

With that mentioned, it’s that point after I sum up precisely what I’ve been doing for the previous month with reference to my travels… and I share with you simply how a lot my journey adventures have price me.

My hope in sharing this data with you is that you simply’ll learn the way a lot it prices to journey by way of these locations that I’m presently touring by way of. However extra importantly, I hope that this abstract of my journey bills proves to you that you could journey the world… and that it may be achieved for a comparatively small amount of cash.

So, with out additional ado, listed here are my journey bills for the month of February 2011:

Lodging: 630 PEN – $227.48 USD

my hostel room in puno peru

My largest expense this month was lodging. I spent the primary a part of the month in a hostel in Puno, I spent a couple of nights tenting (which was free), and I spend the latter half of the month in Cuzco, Peru. I’m paying about 25 Soles (or PEN) per night time for my lodging lodging (about $9 USD), so whereas lodging was my largest expense this month, it’s nonetheless solely a fraction of what I pay for my lodging again residence.

USB Web Stick: 529 PEN – $191.01 USD

USB internet stick for laptops in peru

The Web right here in Peru is horrible. In truth, I’ve been having a very onerous time discovering hostels in Peru which have quick, dependable Web. I acquired so fed up with the Web scenario after arriving in Cusco a couple of weeks again that I made a decision to spend a small boatload of cash and buy a USB Web stick for my laptop. The factor price practically $200 and comes with a 6-month contract, so it’s in all probability one thing I ought to have purchased at the start of my journey as an alternative of half-way by way of, however I purchased the factor in hopes of having the ability to truly get some work achieved throughout my remaining three months within the nation. Sadly, the Web stick DOES work, however it’s terribly gradual and runs at solely a fraction of the pace the corporate promised me it will run. I did the maths on the pace of the Web right here in Peru in comparison with the Web connection I’ve again at residence… and my Web connection again house is greater than 1,000 instances quicker than what I’m working off of right here in Peru. To say that the Web right here is gradual can be an extreme understatement…. and having a quick Web connection is among the high issues I’m wanting ahead to as soon as I return residence.

Meals & Drinks: 519.6 PEN – $187.62 USD

banana split with sprinkles and kiwi

I spent some huge cash on meals this month. However you recognize what? I ate out… A LOT. I in all probability ate out at eating places a minimum of 1 time every day this month… and that added a couple of further Soles to my general spending. However even consuming out so ceaselessly, I used to be nonetheless in a position to preserve my foods and drinks bills underneath $200 USD.

Tricycle: 250 PEN – $90.27 USD

darren alff inside a peruvian tricycle taxi

One other main expense for me this month was the tricycle taxi cab I bought in Puno, Peru. I purchased the tricycle after seeing all of the locals using them round… and after I left Puno earlier this month… I left on the three-wheeled tricycle you see above. I rode the factor for two-days straight with plans of using all of it the way in which to Cuzco. However after I wakened on day 3, the tricycle was damaged and I used to be unable to restore it. So I deserted the tricycle and took a bus to Cusco from right here. I could have wasted $90 on the tricycle, however the two-day expertise of using it by way of Southern Peru was greater than definitely worth the cash spent.

Cusco Vacationer Ticket: 130 PEN – $46.94 USD

cusco convent

As soon as in Cusco, I bought the Boleto Turistico, which is an overpriced vacationer ticket that will get you into 16 completely different websites in and round Cusco, Peru. The ticket is nice for quite a few museums and issues contained in the Cusco metropolis heart, nevertheless it’s additionally good for entrance to quite a few Inca ruins that lie exterior of Cusco itself. I visited many of those websites with my father (who flew down from California this previous week to accompany me right here in Peru), however I used to be unable to get to all the websites included within the ticket… and due to this fact, it in all probability wasn’t definitely worth the cash that I spent.

Tricycle Components & Repairs: 86 PEN – $31.05 USD

two people repairingone broken tricycle

Leaping again a bit (I’ve listed the bills right here from best to smallest), after I bought the tricycle taxi cab in Puno, I knew that earlier than I took off on the factor I would want to make some repairs to it. Fortunately, there was a spot in Puno that was prepared to assist me get the trike all fastened up. Three hours and thirty-one {dollars} later, I had a brand new backside bracket, a brand new entrance axle, a raised up seat submit, new pedals, and a tricycle taxi cab that was nonetheless a whole piece of junk.

Souvenirs: 77 PEN – $27.80 USD

vian souvineers

It’s troublesome to journey by way of Peru and never be tempted to a minimum of contemplate buying a number of the Peruvian souvenirs. The stuff is all over the place… and it’s tremendous, tremendous low-cost (particularly if you understand how to haggle). This month I bought a pair memento gadgets in Puno… and some extra gadgets in Cusco.

Socks & Belt: 34.9 PEN – $12.60 USD

Apart from the souvenirs that I bought, I additionally bought a couple of gadgets for me to really put on. I purchased a belt (as a result of I’ve misplaced plenty of weight and my pants now not keep above my hips with out some help) and I purchased a pair new pairs of socks (as a result of those I had had been rock onerous, soiled, and disgusting).

Bicycle Pump, Lock, and Instruments: 32 PEN – $11.55 USD

chain bike lock

Again to my tricycle taxi cab. Once I was getting ready the trike for it’s lengthy haul throughout the Peruvian Altiplano, I not solely made some repairs to the factor, however I additionally bought a lock for the trike, a pump, some spare tubes, and a wrench in case of an accident on the market on the street. Sadly, I by no means used a single certainly one of these things, as a result of by the point the tricycle broke down, these things had been now not wanted. In the long run, I deserted these things together with the trike. Practically $12 wasted.

Puno Parade: 30 PEN – $10.83 USD

trumpet players

Whereas in Puno there was an enormous competition that happened to have fun the Virgin of the Candelaria. This competition lasted a number of days, however the massive occasion was a large parade with greater than 30,000 individuals from all around the space collaborating. To be able to watch the parade, I needed to pay 30 Soles for a bleacher seat… and that small expense was added to my complete for the month.

DVDs: 28 PEN – $10.11 USD

natalie portman spoanish dvd cover for black swan

Now, I’m not touring on a regular basis. In truth, I’m spending plenty of time indoors, on my own, with nothing to do. And due to this, I spent a couple of {dollars} this month on DVDs to observe on my laptop computer. I watched “The Black Swan,” “The Social Community,” and “Buried” (all of which I extremely advocate). Again residence, DVD’s price about $10 – $20 USD to purchase… and as little as $1.06 to lease from my native Purple Field. However right here in Peru, you will get Black Market DVD’s for as little as $0.72 every.

Bus Journey: 21 PEN – $7.58 USD

small peruvian bus in pisac

I solely took one bus this month, nevertheless it was an extended and attention-grabbing experience. I traveled from Juliaca within the south (close to Puno) to Cusco within the north. The experience lasted about 8.5 hours, nevertheless it solely price me $7.58 (and that included the bus terminal tax). I dare you to seek out me an 8.5 hour bus experience anyplace in North America that prices lower than $8 {dollars}.

Uros Floating Islands Boat: 20 PEN – $7.22 USD

puno peru floating island woman selling crafts

One of many enjoyable issues I did this month is that I took a experience out to the floating islands on Lake Titicaca. These floating islands, fabricated from reeds, are the properties of a number of thousand native Peruvian individuals. Whereas the reed islands immediately are largely inauthentic vacationer points of interest, there are nonetheless elements of the islands the place native individuals stay in peace and go about their days simply as their ancestors did a number of hundred years in the past.

Taxi Rides: 20 PEN – $7.22 USD

taxi driving in cusco peru narrow streets

I usually keep away from taxis just like the plague, however with my father visiting me in Cusco, Peru for every week, we took a couple of taxi cabs collectively… and I totaled on the fee for these brief rides to my complete bills for the month. Be aware how slim the streets are in Cusco. That’s my dad on the appropriate and a taxi cab squeezing previous him on the left.

Toiletries: 16.5 PEN – $5.96 USD

peru toilets

Yup! I had to purchase bathroom paper this month… and shampoo… and cleaning soap… and some different private gadgets. That’s what occurs if you journey for months on finish. The toiletries you may have available ultimately run out and it’s a must to resupply. Luckily, the toiletry bills I did rack up this month had been removed from substantial. I ended up paying lower than six US {Dollars} for all the things I wanted.

Combi Rides: 14 PEN – $5.06 USD

combi shuttle van in ollantaytambo peru

February was the month of the Combi. As I discussed in final month’s expense report, a “combi” is a shared van that picks individuals up and drops them off at varied places at tremendous low-cost costs. I in all probability took about 20 completely different combi buses this month, however the issues are so low-cost that the rides solely price me a tad bit greater than $5 US {Dollars}.

Inca Museum: 10 PEN  – $3.61 USD

darren alff sitting in a cusco peru plaza

In Cusco my father and I had been instructed that we needed to see the Inca Museum. So we paid 10 Soles to get into the place, however I wasn’t in any respect impressed with what I noticed there. It was simply one other boring museum with bone fragments, clay pots, arrowheads, and many others. I’ve been to method too many museums on my travels.

Sillustani Entrance Payment: 6 PEN – $2.17 USD

lagoon at sillustani peru near puno and julliaca

Whereas the Inca Museum was considerably of a bust, one place that I went this month that was completely definitely worth the cash  (solely $2.17 USD) was the Sillustani ruins – simply exterior of Puno. After ditching my tricycle, I backtracked on foot to those ruins and spent the night time camped out on the tiny peninsula the place the ruins are situated. I had your entire place to myself and the views from my campsite over the close by lake had been completely spectacular.

Motor Taxi: 2 PEN – $0.72 USD

tricycle motor cab in puno peru

My final and smallest expense for the month was a single experience in a motor taxi by way of the streets of Juliaca. After taking one combi into town, I jumped within the first motor taxi to come back my method and requested that I be pushed to the bus terminal. The experience solely lasted a couple of minutes, nevertheless it price me seventy-two cents… and I used to be on my method!

TOTAL: 2,456 PEN – $886.81 USD

In the long run, this month price me 2,456 Peruvian Soles (or $886.81 USD). It’s a bit extra that the $480 some odd {dollars} I spent final month, however there have been a couple of causes for this:

1. I bought a tricycle taxi cab this month and there have been some extra bills that went together with my brief “tricycle touring” journey.

2. I bought a USB Web stick for my laptop.

3. I didn’t get a free place to remain this month like I did final month after I was in Arequipa.

All in all, February was one hell of a month. I did quite a bit, I spent somewhat, and I created some reminiscences I’ll absolutely keep in mind for the remainder of my life.

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